Unwanted Christmas presents received by one in seven people, study shows

One in seven people has received a Christmas present they did not want or could not use, a study has revealed.

Research among 13,500 people across Europe by finance firm ING International also showed that one in 10 could not remember what they received last year.

The report estimated that millions of unwanted gifts were being given out, worth billions of pounds.

Many of those receiving an unwanted gift passed it on to someone else or sold it - while a few actually gave it back.

Ian Bright, senior economist at ING, said: “Gift-giving is a fun and traditional part of Christmas celebrations in many countries, and presents are usually appreciated, but even unwanted gifts seem to have their uses.”